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Keeping political promises
Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, January 25, 2013

Lots of promises are made by candidates during an election campaign.

Last fall's municipal election was no different but we are happy to report more than a few of them have been kept.

High on almost every candidate's list, including those who got elected, was a pledge to improve communications at city hall.

This happened almost immediately, certainly from Yellowknifer's perspective. City hall department heads are once again free to speak, reporters' requests for information are answered promptly and there appears to be a greater understanding that the press has a key role to play in getting information out and gathering public reaction.

Most important to this relationship is recognizing the difference between a news story and an editorial. News stories that appear throughout the paper are to inform and engage readers by presenting the facts and different views from people who care.

Sometimes readers come to Yellowknifer with a complaint about city policy or direction and, providing it is reasonable, we will go to city administration or council for answers. We aim to present both sides fairly and accurately, with some background to add perspective.

Editorials that run in this space are entirely different. An editorial is based upon an opinion formed by our editorial board. Facts are used to support a position, which may be either strong criticism or healthy praise. But it is still an opinion and anybody is free to take an opposing view through a guest column or letter to the editor, which by the way, are often the most read items in our pages.

Let us add a few more facts to support our position on various election promises.

When told of administration's halt to the practice of offering free parking passes to visitors, many candidates promised to restore those parking passes. The day after being sworn in, Mayor Mark Heyck delivered them personally to the NWT Tourism annual general meeting at the Explorer Hotel.

There were also promises that city hall personnel issues would be looked at as a first order of business, and evidence of that promise being fulfilled came with the departure of city manager Bob Long in November, 2012.

In addition, the proposed geothermal project was a fiasco, a classic case of a good idea gone bad, badly damaging city administration's credibility. As promised, that grand plan has been taken off the table and replaced with a scaled-down district energy project connecting government buildings.

The contentious move to put in a floatplane dock on Latham Island last year floundered on the rocks of poor communications and flawed consultations, further aggravated by the city manager's floatplane parked nearby, seemingly thumbing his nose at everyone. Now council is backing off in favour of improving both communications and consultation with local residents before making a decision.

Is this new openness with media and the public the result of a honeymoon syndrome, soon to end as all honeymoons do? We hope not.

It serves each city councillor to have as much public discussion as possible about all the issues so they have a good sense of the direction the public wishes them to go. Then people will vote for them again.

City hall administration may act with the best interests of modern municipal operations but in the end, it is there to serve the people as directed by city council. As we saw with the geothermal debate, city administration's expertise and conclusions are better tested when the public, some of whom are extremely knowledgeable, have a chance to ask questions and demand answers.

Yellowknifer will do its part to keep readers informed, and we look forward a lively and productive three years for city council.


The coming of the cellphones
Editorial Comment by Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, January 24, 2013

The times they are a changing in the Deh Cho.

NorthwesTel announced last week that it will be bringing 3G wireless Internet service to 25 communities across the territory before the end of 2014. Included are six communities in the Deh Cho that currently don't have any form of cellphone service, including Jean Marie River, Trout Lake, Fort Providence, Kakisa, Wrigley and Nahanni Butte.

Clearly a number of benefits will result from this service. Residents of those communities will have the option of owning and using the newest smartphones as well as other wireless devices, such as tablets that will fully function as soon as the 3G service is turned on in their community.

It will mean that residents and visitors to the communities will be able to make calls and access the Internet within the coverage area. Practical applications for this include being able to call for help in the case of an emergency or reassure relatives that you have arrived safely when travelling.

There will also be increased opportunities to use social media, whether it is to organize events or to promote local businesses. In classrooms, devices such as tablets and the Internet resources they can access will become another learning tool.

Many people in the region will undoubtedly be overjoyed to get cellphone service. Things, however, will never be quite the same.

The beauty of cellphones is that you are never out of touch so long as you can get a signal. This is also one of the technology's drawbacks.

If you own a cellphone, you are accessible all of the time, unless you turn it off or leave it at home. No longer are phone calls something you do while at home. Suddenly you can be reached while in the grocery store or while watching your child's soccer game or wherever you happen to be when your phone rings.

The distraction ability that cellphones and other devices have for children should also not be underestimated. As soon as the devices work in the communities, and as soon as youths can convince their parents to purchase one for them, they will be huddled over it for untold hours.

Technology and services that are available in most of the rest of Canada are making inroads into the Deh Cho and will be pervasive by the dawn of 2015. There will be a multitude of benefits, but there will also be changes that will subtlety affect life in the region.

In a few years, people will both wonder how they ever lived without cellphone service and be nostalgic about when they did.


Find way to put town on map
Editorial Comment by Miranda Scotland
Inuvik Drum - Thursday, January 24, 2013

Since coming into office, Mayor Floyd Roland has focused on expanding tourism in Inuvik in an attempt to diversify and stabilize Inuvik's economy.

Roland is looking at ways to increase not only the number of leisure travellers to Inuvik but also business travellers. He wants the town to become a place southerners think of when planning conferences.

If made wisely, investment into Inuvik’s tourism industry could have a significant impact on the area. As an indicator of the industry's worth, NWT Tourism has a budget of only $2.5 million, yet visitors contribute approximately $100 million to the territory's economy each year.

At the same time, the town needs to be cautious given that return on this investment is not guaranteed and a number of factors can come into play to affect how many tourists come to town.

According to NWT Tourism, in 2011 visitor numbers to the territory decreased by four per cent due to occurrences such as a global economic recession; the NWT sport hunting sector, gutted by a ban on hunting caribou spurred by a perilously low population; federal passport and visa requirements; and the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, where many of our tourists originate.

As well, Inuvik faces a huge hurdle in establishing this industry: the high cost of transportation. No doubt more people would be willing to travel here if airline tickets from Yellowknife to Inuvik didn't cost about $1,000 return, not to mention costs to get to Yellowknife from the south.

I have friends and family in Ontario who would love to visit the North but as soon as I tell them the cost of flights they immediately put the brakes on the idea – my mother included. That said, Roland has been looking into negotiating rates with the airlines.

In the meantime, however, the town should look at further promoting the Dempster Highway. Inuvik could work with other communities along the route to create an annual festival of sorts to raise awareness and encourage people to make the trip.

Inuvik should also look at ways to further embrace technology. Economic development manager Jackie Challis has done a wonderful job operating the InuvikSunFest Twitter account but the town could still expand on its social media presence.

Inuvik should look at having a fresh video created to showcase the area. Perhaps make a contest out of it by having local residents create videos and post them on YouTube. A prize could then be given to the clip with the most views after a month’s time. It would give the area greater exposure for very little cost.

In short, the town should focus on making wise investments in tourism while continuing to diversify the economy in other ways.


Diamond Capital of North America
Yellowknifer - Wednesday, January 23, 2013

What ever happened to the Diamond Capital of North America?

Well it's still here. Where else on the continent will you find three diamond mines producing millions of carats worth billions of dollars annually with another mine to come on line within a few short years?

The closest contender is the Attawapiskat First Nation, which is approximately 90 kilometres away from Victor Mine in Ontario and, coincidentally, where aboriginal rights crusader Chief Theresa Spence is from.

As the jumping off point to Canada's first diamond mines - Ekati, Diavik and Snap Lake - Yellowknife's claim to Diamond Capital of North America is pretty solid. But who calls it that?

Many people did back in 2006 when four cutting and polishing plants employed 200 workers. Yellowknifer reported the peak was reached with an offer to the presenters of the Golden Globe awards to fly from Edmonton to Yellowknife, pick out a diamond, choose a setting designed by a local artist, spend a few days getting pampered in a hotel, then pick up the ring and head home - all expenses paid. Apparently no celebrities accepted the offer but the idea of it all created substantial buzz.

At the same time, the Polar Bear diamond, certified as dug up, cut and polished in the NWT, was being promoted as a politically correct alternative to the blood diamonds dramatized in the 2006 movie of the same name starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Since then, despite the best efforts of the City of Yellowknife to burn the Diamond Capital brand into the minds of North Americans and the rest of the world, our diamond dreams turned quickly into coal.

If we compare the linkage between Whitehorse, Yukon, and the gold rush days of 1896-1899, it's pretty clear what the NWT's diamond rush lacked was romance; a bit ironic since diamonds themselves live or die depending on the romance factor.

If only Ekati founders Chuck Fipke and Stewart Blusson had made their last stand on a kimberlite pipe fighting off hordes of diamond hunters, we might have had enough drama to carry the day. Sadly, prospecting and mining is far too scientific and business oriented to accomplish much more than produce dazzling profits, good for the Northern economy but death for myth-making.

By 2010, Diamond Row cutting and polishing plants out by the airport were put up for sale. Arslanian and the Polar Bear diamond was out of business, leaving Crossworks Manufacturing downtown the last plant standing.

Now we have a new player striding forth in the form of Deepak International. It bought the two buildings on Diamond Row and is pledging to revive the cutting and polishing industry with local hires and a new push on the Polar Bear Diamond.

In the meantime, Crossworks Manufacturing has repeated its commitment, first mentioned in 2008, to open a diamond tourism exhibit attached to its downtown plant.

Is all of this enough to put wind in the sails of a Diamond Capital branding campaign? Possibly, but that won't happen without the energy and participation of the people who live the dream every day.

How many Yellowknifers either work at the diamond mines or have a relative or a friend who does? How many Yellowknife homeowners have imagined what their properties might be worth had not Fipke and Blussom made their diamond discovery?

Every non-profit event supported by the mines in the last two decades should attempt to weave the romance of diamonds into their next event.

While initial attempts at branding didn't produce sparkling results, we hope the city retakes a lead in reminding the world we are still the Diamond Capital of North America.


Money not only way to enrich life
Editorial Comment by Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, January 23, 2013

While there's no arguing the story is getting old, the fact remains, sooner or later, a price has to be paid if the trend continues.

It doesn't seem to matter what extracurricular activity you're talking about, a precious handful of people continue to carry the load when it comes to keeping these invaluable programs running.

And far too many of them say it's almost impossible to get enough volunteers to run a program effectively unless you have enough funding to be able to pay them.

Let's be honest here and point out one little irrefutable fact.

You don't pay volunteers!

The term to volunteer, in and of itself, means exactly that.

You give up some of your spare time, with no expectation of remuneration, in order to support a program that benefits your community.

And, the vast majority of the time, said programs benefit one of the most important aspects of our communities - our youth!

I don't want to come across as condescending, but this is a problem I'll never understand no matter how long I call the Kivalliq home.

And, unless my company knows something I don't, I plan to continue calling the Kivalliq home for a good many years yet.

Whether you're talking our various sports, regional chapters of national programs like the cadets or Girl Guides, or culturally-specific endeavours aimed at putting more Inuit youth in touch with their history and traditions, why do so many folks insist on being paid before they'll give some time to help out?

What really irks me is when I hear someone talking about the social problems our region faces and what has to be done to overcome them.

Too often they'll talk about the need for additional programming to give our youth a constructive way to pass the hours and, hopefully, help keep them away from the darker temptations of life.

They'll talk of the importance of youth, often naming them our leaders of tomorrow.

And, without fail, they'll work catch phrases into their spiels such as healthy communities and lifestyles.

Yet far too many of these same folks are never seen anywhere near a youth program unless there's a photo-op involved, and they give nothing of their time to help run the very endeavours they list as being so important to the future of our communities.

Our youth aren't dumb. They know who the people are who walk the walk and they also know who only talks the talk.

From hockey, indoor soccer and Inuit games to drum dancing, skin working and tool making, our youth see the same faces week after week helping them enjoy themselves, learn new skills and mature as individuals.

Surely we've reached the point where it's time for more of us to take the words seriously and begin to practise what we preach.

It's a win-win situation for everyone.

Not only would you actually enjoy it if you gave it a shot, but you'd take a lot of pride in watching these kids mature, knowing you're doing your part to make your community a better place.

It may not swell your wallet or bank account, but volunteering will definitely enrich your life and those you spend time with!


Wisdom in many forms
NWT News/North -Monday, January 21, 2013

For two decades the NWT Status of Women Council has been recognizing the strength of women in the territory through its annual Wise Women Awards ceremony.

Whether it is through public leadership or serving as a role model, these women exemplify what it means to serve their people, their communities and, in some cases, their territory.

Grandmother, daughters, sisters, scholars, politicians and keepers of traditional knowledge, Wise Women Award recipients come from all walks of life and have demonstrated that strength comes in many forms.

Past award winners include people such as Deline's Gina Dolphus, Fort Resolution's Rosa Lafferty and Inuvik's Greta Sittichinli, to name a small few.

Each of those three women displays a different kind of strength. Dolphus, a former mayor, drug counsellor and social activist, demonstrates leadership in a very vocal and public fashion. She is among the long list of powerful community and territorial women leaders in the territory.

Lafferty, on the other hand, was not so outspoken. Her way of living, her connection to her culture and her desire to share that culture with those around her was an inspiration to many. A mother and a grandmother, her wisdom will be passed to future generations and a part of history will survive because of her choice to live a life true to herself.

Sittichinli is an example of perseverance. She began her family at a young age but did not let that stop her from pursuing an education. She was forced to deal with the deaths of the father of her children and eldest daughter.

Despite that pain, she chose to be a support for many people in her community.

There are numerous women in our territory who display traits similar to these. All are deserving of recognition, whether it is for political leadership, serving as a role model through a healthy and traditional way of life, or demonstrating strength during hardship.

We urge everyone to look around their communities and think about who inspires you. Who do you look up to? Who has helped make your community a better place? Make a list and nominate that person for a Wise Woman Award.


Welcome to a million more Indians
NWT News/North - Monday, January 21, 2013

"There are up to a million more Indians today than there were yesterday."

The line above was used in the opening of a Globe and Mail column shortly after the court decision ruling that Metis and non-status Indians should be treated the same as Indians by the federal government.

The columnist then shared his opinion about the "consequences" of the ruling, "such as greater access to health, education and social programs for aboriginal Canadians." He means the huge cost to Canadian taxpayers and the potential "watering down" of existing services because the government might not spend more money, just the same money for more people.

People lacking a solid legal education, which is most of us, may well scratch their head over the ruling, wondering what it will change and what good it is.

After all, considering the treatment so-called Indians suffer at the hands of the federal government and its bloated army of bureaucrats, we might ask who wants that? Isn't that what all the Idle No More movement is all about?

But for aboriginal organizations and leaders, in this case those representing Metis and non-status Indians, court rulings are worth their weight in gold. Lawyers can use them like crowbars to open up vaults full of federal cash, compensation and legal deeds to what used to be traditional lands.

Ottawa doesn't like putting such tools in the hands of aboriginal organizations, so we can expect the decision will be fought all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada.

In the meantime, Canadian Metis and non-status Indians can take some comfort their case is righteous and victory delayed is still a victory as they join their million Indian brother and sisters.


Baffinland project needs speedy green light
Nunavut News/North - Monday, January21, 2013

Baffinland's decision to downsize its plans at Mary River speaks to the high quality of the site's iron ore.

The rocky global financial market made it hard for Baffinland to find funding for the full scope of its original $4 billion project. The 149-km railway railroad and Steensby Inlet port are being shelved until the capital is raised to build them. Milne Inlet will be open seasonally to ship the 3.5 million tonnes of iron ore to overseas markets every year. The previous target had been 18 million tonnes.

The Nunavut Impact Review Board will be looking for the input of Nunavummiut on whether it should put the project back through the environmental process now that it's been, at least temporarily, reduced in size.

Is another review necessary? The project has already been studied comprehensively over the past several years. As long as the recommendations NIRB put forth remain in place, why go back through the process?

At stake are jobs for our heavy equipment operators and others who've undergone training to work at the project . While the company has said it will be hiring less workers for this phase, production looks to start sooner now that the project's downsized. Nunavut already lost a significant project in the Kitikmeot when then-owner Newmont Mining Corp. put the Hope Bay gold project into care and maintenance early last year. The costs of operating just weren't worth the profit potential.

This is just the nature of the industry. Now that the economic and environmental aspects of the Mary River mine have been studied and accepted, every effort should be made to ensure the territory's iron goose will still produce.


Where there's smoke, there tends to be fire
Nunavut News/North - Monday, January 21, 2013

Concerns of fire safety at the Baffin Correctional Centre have once again come to light.

It's difficult for anyone on the outside to know what the conditions are right now on the inside.

Last week in Nunavut News/North, Warden Ray Fast acknowledged overcrowding and the problems that causes, such as a lack of recreation options. On Nov. 12, 2012, two small fires were apparently set by bored inmates.

Previously, in May 2010, we heard concerns from former fire marshal Tony Noakes about overcrowding and a fundamentally unsafe building if a large fire were to erupt.

In April 2012, Fire Marshal Frederick Morrison cited 42 ways the jail did not meet the federal fire code.

Although the jail staff and the GN, maintain the place isn't a firetrap, hopefully they are taking these reports seriously. Fire safety is a critical issue when a jail designed for 66 inmates regularly holds more than 100.

An emergency relief structure to house 48 inmates is planned with a $14.5 million pricetag.

As soon as that is up and running, planning should begin on a new larger jail.

It may be difficult to fund such a project from the GN coffers alone, but if the current Government of Canada is so fixated on incarceration rather than rehabilitation, it should be opening its wallet to help Nunavut build a territorial jail designed to safely house what is unfortunately likely to be a growing territorial inmate population.

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